Craft pattern

ABSTRACT

A craft pattern for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item is provided. Such craft pattern includes a pattern member depicting the actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item. The pattern member is manufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined size and a predetermined shape.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/959,532 filed Jul. 13, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to crafting aids and, moreparticularly, this invention relates to patterns for craft items such ascrocheted and knitted clothing, toys, accessories, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior to the conception and development of the present invention,crafting, as is generally well known in the prior art, includescrocheting and knitting and sewing. In order to craft a particularobject a pattern is usually used. Patterns for sewing usually consist ofa visual aid depicting the full scale of an actual object, alignmentpoints for attaching various pieces, and instructions for sizing theobject to meet the user's need as well as instructions for creating theobject from the pattern. Crocheting and knitting patterns differ fromthis in that crocheting and knitting patterns are text style patternswhich simply textually explain the maneuvers a user must make withparticular crafting tools such as a crochet hook or knitting needle andyarns to create the object. It can be very difficult and frustrating fora crafter to try to create an object from a text style pattern. As aresult, many people who would like to learn to crochet and knit nevertry because the textual instructions which are available are too complexand are not enjoyable to follow. Therefore there is a need for a morepicture oriented type of crocheting and knitting pattern; one whichincorporates a picture of the final desired product including actualsized depiction and which will provide a more user-friendly means ofinstruction than a written instruction type pattern.

Specifically of interest to the present invention are the following:Leighton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,036 discloses a method for instruction forknitting and crocheting in which the location, type, and number of eachstitch is exactly indicated on a pattern piece scaled to the final shapeof the finished item.

Kaplan, U.S. Pat. No. 2,301,410, discloses a crocheting guide meansincluding a card divided in vertical row of designated horizontal spaceswith each space of each row provided with a legend for designating astitch and directing a row of crocheting, a slide member slidablyrelated to the card for movements vertically thereof over the spaces, aguide member slidable on the slide member and horizontally of the cardhaving tabs at the upper edge thereof extending upwardly there from andspaced apart to provide a space there between equal to the width of thespaces. The card is meant to be used to mark a stopping point such thata person can quickly determine just where he or she had stopped andresume crocheting there from.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a craft pattern for aiding a user in atleast one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item. Such craftpattern includes a pattern member depicting the actual size of at leasta portion of such predetermined item. The pattern member is manufacturedfrom a predetermined material and has a predetermined size and apredetermined shape.

According to another embodiment, a craft kit for aiding a user in atleast one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item is provided.Such craft kit includes a pattern member depicting the actual size of atleast a portion of such predetermined item. Such pattern member ismanufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined sizeand a predetermined shape. Instructional information is disposed on atleast one of a predetermined media and such pattern member, suchinstructional information being for instructing a user on how to makesuch predetermined item.

According to yet another embodiment, a method of at least one ofcrocheting and knitting a predetermined item is provided. Such methodincludes the steps of providing a pattern member, such pattern memberillustrating at least one of a predetermined size and a predeterminedshape of at least a predetermined portion of such predetermined item,providing instructions on at least one of such pattern member and afixed media for instructing a user how to use such pattern member, andat least one of knitting and crocheting such predetermined item inaccordance with such instructions.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a pattern similar to sewing patterns for crocheting and knittingprojects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pattern forcrocheting and knitting projects which can be used as a visual aid toillustrate to a user the exact size a project will be once such projecthas been completed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new typeof crocheting and knitting pattern which can be easily used to adjust aproject illustrated on such pattern in size and shape.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tangiblevisual pattern along with written instructions for crocheting andknitting projects.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a patternfor crocheting and knitting projects which can be unfolded todemonstrate a variety of sizes and styles of a particular project andhow to make each style and size; for example, the a sweater may be theproject and may be crocheted or knitted in a sleeveless style,short-sleeved style, and long-sleeved style in a size chosen by a user.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the presentinvention described with some degree of specificity above it should beobvious that additional objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled inthe relevant art from the following more detailed description of theinvention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunctionwith the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to oneembodiment of the invention in which a craft kit is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVEEMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the presentinvention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity andunderstanding, identical components which have identical functions havebeen identified with identical reference numerals throughout the severalviews illustrated in the drawing figures.

Reference is now made, more particularly, to FIGS. 1-4.

A craft pattern, generally designated 10, for aiding a user (not shown)in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item 11 isprovided. Such craft pattern 10 includes a pattern member 12 depictingthe actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item 11.Such pattern member 12 is manufactured from a predetermined material andhas a predetermined size and a predetermined shape. It is presentlypreferred that such predetermined material is at least one of paper,cardboard, fabric, and plastic. It is presently preferred that suchpredetermined material is foldable. It is further presently preferredthat such predetermined material is cuttable.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 is substantiallyidentical in size to at least a portion of such predetermined item 11.It is meant that as such user completes crocheting or knitting suchportion of such predetermined item 11, such user's crocheted or knittedwork may be held against or laid over such pattern member 12 whichcorresponds to that particular portion of such user's work and such usermay gauge a degree of completeness of his or her work.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 illustrates aplurality of different designs for making a plurality of differentversions of such predetermined item 11. For example, the pattern member12 may be a pattern for a sweater which can be made as a sleevelesssweater, a sweater with short sleeves, three-quarter length sleeves, orfull length sleeves. A user would simply crochet or knit the desiredsleeve based on the size and shape of the area of the pattern whichcorresponds to the desired sleeve length.

For example, the pattern member 12 illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used toaid a user in crocheting and knitting either a sleeveless sweater or asweater with short sleeves.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a sleeveless sweater 13 has been crocheted andis laid over the pattern member 12 to match the measurements on suchpattern member 12 for one side of the sweater 13. In this particularexample, a user could be instructed that that the pattern member 12depicted one predetermined portion of the sweater 13 and that such userwould need to use the pattern member 12 to create both a front and aback to the sweater 13 joining the front and back at each respectiveside thereof.

Furthermore, such pattern member 12 may be manufactured of asubstantially rigid material which could serve as a model front and backfor aiding such user in crocheting and knitting such predetermined item11.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 has predeterminedindicia 14 disposed thereon.

It is further presently preferred that such predetermined indicia 14includes at least one of instructional information regarding use of suchpattern, sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters,pictures, words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and acombination thereof.

Such indicia 14 may include markings on the pattern to illustratestopping points for different versions of the item. For example lines onthe pattern may illustrate the ending point for making a sleevelessversion of a sweater, a short sleeved version and a long sleevedversion.

Such indicia 14 could also include possible stitches which could be usedto make the item illustrated by such pattern member 12. Such indicia mayinclude instructions on changing the size of the item and any otherinformation for facilitating use of the craft pattern 10.

According to another embodiment, a craft kit, generally designated 20,for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting apredetermined item is provided.

Such kit 20 includes a pattern member 12 depicting the actual size of atleast a portion of such predetermined item. The pattern member 12 ismanufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined sizeand shape. It is presently preferred that such predetermined material isat least one of paper, cardboard, fabric, and plastic.

Such kit 20 further includes instructional information disposed on atleast one of a predetermined media 24, such pattern member 12, and acombination thereof, such instructional information being forinstructing such user on how to make such predetermined item 11.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 includespredetermined indicia 14 disposed thereon.

It is presently preferred that such predetermined indicia 14 includes atleast one of instructional information regarding use of such pattern,sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters, pictures,words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and a combinationthereof.

It is presently preferred that such craft kit 20 further includes atleast one of at least one knitting needle 31, at least one crochetinghook 28, at least one spool of yarn 32, and a combination thereof.

It is further presently preferred that such craft kit 20 furtherincludes a plurality of pattern members for aiding such user in creatinga plurality of predetermined items.

According to yet another embodiment, a method of at least one ofcrocheting and knitting a predetermined item is provided. Such methodincludes the steps of providing a pattern member, such pattern memberillustrating at least one of a predetermined size and a predeterminedshape of such item, providing instructions on at least one of suchpattern member and a fixed media for instructing a user how to use suchpattern member, and at least one of knitting and crocheting suchpredetermined item in accordance with such instructions.

It is meant that such pattern member be a full size pattern of such itemto be crocheted or knitted. As a user completes knitting or crocheting apredetermined portion of such item such user can use such pattern memberas a visual aid to assess a degree of completion of the item.

While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of thepresent invention have been described in sufficient detail above toenable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same itshould be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications canbe envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departingfrom either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A craft pattern for aiding a user in at least one of knitting andcrocheting a predetermined item, said craft pattern comprising a patternmember depicting the actual size of at least a portion of suchpredetermined item, said pattern member being manufactured from apredetermined material and having a predetermined size and apredetermined shape.
 2. A craft pattern according to claim 1 whereinsaid pattern member has predetermined indicia disposed thereon.
 3. Acraft pattern according to claim 2 wherein said predetermined indiciaincludes at least one of instructional information regarding use of saidpattern, sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters,pictures, words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and acombination thereof.
 4. A craft pattern according to claim 1 whereinsaid predetermined material is at least one of paper, cardboard, fabric,and plastic.
 5. A craft pattern according to claim 1 wherein saidpredetermined material is foldable.
 6. A craft pattern according toclaim 1 wherein said predetermined material is cuttable.
 7. A craftpattern according to claim 1 wherein said pattern member illustrates aplurality of different designs for making a plurality of differentversions of said predetermined item.
 8. A craft kit for aiding a user inat least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item, said craftkit comprising; a. a pattern member for such predetermined item, saidpattern member manufactured from a predetermined material and having apredetermined size and a predetermined shape, and b. instructionalinformation disposed on at least one of a predetermined media, saidpattern member, and a combination thereof, said instructionalinformation being for instructing a user on how to make saidpredetermined item.
 9. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein saidpattern member includes predetermined indicia disposed thereon.
 10. Acraft kit according to claim 9 wherein said predetermined indiciaincludes at least one of instructional information regarding use of saidpattern, sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters,pictures, words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and acombination thereof.
 11. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein saidpredetermined material is at least one of paper, cardboard, fabric, andplastic.
 12. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein said craft kitfurther includes at least one of at least one knitting needle, at leastone crocheting hook, at least one spool of yarn, and a combinationthereof.
 13. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein said craft kitfurther includes a plurality of pattern members for aiding a user increating a plurality of predetermined items.
 14. A method of at leastone of crocheting and knitting a predetermined item comprising the stepsof: a. providing a pattern member, such pattern member illustrating atleast one of a predetermined size and a predetermined shape of suchitem; b. providing instructions on at least one of said pattern memberand a fixed media for instructing a user on how to use said patternmember; c. at least one of knitting and crocheting such predetermineditem in accordance with said instructions.